Double valve head



1969 w. R. DUNN 3,470,911

DOUBLE VALVE HEAD Filed Nov. 17, 1967 I ."(VEN'TOR WILLIAM R. DUNN hWM ATTORNEY.

United States Patent G US. Cl. 137--625.64 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE 'A valve head construction for a valve having two spaced valve seats which includes a relatively rigid strip of metal, that is provided with offset tines at each end thereof, and an I-shaped strip of elastic material. The elastic strip is mounted on the rigid strip by first placing one end of the elastic strip between the tines at one end of the rigid strip, then stretching the intermediate portion to position the other end beyond and in a plane between the tines at the other end of the rigid strip, and then releasing the elastic strip for retraction of the extended end to a position between the adjacent tines. Each end of the elastic strip and a backing tine serves as a closure for one only of the valve seats. Power means is provided to selectively rock the valve head into engagement with one or the other of the valve seats.

BACKGROUND'OF THE INVENTION Valves similar to the one disclosed in this application are not new in the valve art. The closest one known to the applicant is the one illustrated in Patent No. 3,263,693. In order to control a relatively large valve with a minimum of energy, it is customary to use a so-called threeway valve to control the pressure in the chamber of a pressure actuated valve, usually of the diaphragm type.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention lies in a valve head construction of inexpensive parts which may be assembled at low cost by a simple placing of one end of an I-shaped elastic strip of material between tines at one end of a rigid strip of material, stretching the intermediate portion of the elastic strip to position the other end thereof beyond similar tines at the other end of the rigid strip, and then permitting said other end to be retracted between the adjacent tines of the rigid strip. The two enlarged ends of the elastic strip, each backed by a rigid tine, provide two spaced valve heads for cooperation with spaced valve seats.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a vertical, fragmentary and sectional view of a valve embodying the invention, with most of the elements thereof shown schematically;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the valve showing the top side of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the invention, partially assembled; and

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the invention with a spring attached thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, the valve embodying the invention has a main valve body portion 11 with an inlet 12 and an outlet 13. Partition walls 14 and 15 are positioned between the inlet and outlet to divide the valve body 11 into an inlet chamber 16, intermediate chamber 17 and an outlet chamber 18. A manually operable rotary disc valve 19 is positioned in chamber 16 and against wall 14 to control main gas flow through a passageway 21, extending between the chambers 16 and 3,470,91 l Patented Oct. 7,, 1969 lCC 17, by means of an aperture 20 through the disc valve. A second aperture 22 controls control gas from the chamber 16 to a passageway 23 leading from the chamber 16 to the top side of the body portion 11 for a purpose to be presently described. An orifice member 24 is located in an enlarged diameter portion of the passageway 23 near the upper end thereof. The disc valve 19 is also adapted to control the flow of gas from the chamber 16 to a pilot burner (not shown) through another aperture (not shown) through the disc valve.

Positioned to control flow of main gas from the chamber 17 to the chamber 18, is a main valve 25 positioned over an aperture 26 through the wall 15. It is connected by a stem 27 to a diaphragm 28. The diaphragm has an orifice member 29 extending therethrough and the peripheral edge thereof is clamped against the bottom edge of the valve portion 11 by a cup-shaped lower body portion 30. A pressure chamber 31 is provided between the lower body portion and the diaphragm. A passageway 32 extends from the chamber 18 to the upper surface of the body portion 11 for a purpose to be described hereinafter. A passageway 33 extends from the chamber 31 through the walls of the lower body portion 30, through the diaphragm 2.8, through the walls of the body portion 11 to the top surface of the body portion 11 for a purpose to be presently described.

Mounted on the top surface of the body portion 11, with a gasket 34 therebetween, is a controller valve body 35 having an inlet control gas passageway 36 extending through the bottom wall thereof from passageway 23, an outletgas passageway 37 extending through the lower wall thereof to register with passageway 32, and a passageway 38 extending through the lower wall thereof with the lower end thereof registering With the upper end of passageway 33. Positioned in the passageway 36 is a tubular valve seat member 39. A similar tubular valve seat member 40 is positioned in the passageway 37. Two spaced bosses 41 are provided on the inner surface of the control valve body 35 and are notched at 42 to provide spaced pivot sockets.

A valve head, formed from a rigid sheet metal strip 43, has two V-shaped downwardly struck projections 44 that provide two knife edge pivots positioned in the sockets 42. The metal strip has a tine or extension 45 at each end thereof and two laterally offset tines 46 at each end thereof, with a steeply inclined portion at the base of tine 45. Intermediate the pivots and one end thereof, the metal strip has an upwardly struck, transversely extending, V-shaped portion 48 that receives one end of a compression spring 49. An I-shaped elastic strip, preferably made of rubber or similar material, has one of the end head portions positioned over the tines 46 and under the tine 45. The other end head portion of the elastic strip is similarly positioned between the tines 46 and 45 by stretching the intermediately portion of the rubber strip beyond the other end of the metal strip and then permitting the stretched head portion to return to a position between the adjacent tines. The distances between the head portions is slightly less than the distance between the bases of tines 45 so that the head portions first engage the inclined portions of the tines 46 farthest from the tine 45. Therefore, the slight pressure between the heads and inclined portions tend to pivot the heads against tines 45. The two ends of the elastic strip, with the tines 45 serving as backing means therefor, are positioned over the upper ends of the valve seat members 39 and 40. The elements of the metal strip or lever are so arranged that when one of the ends of the rubber strip is in engagement with one of the valve seats, the other is spaced from its cooperating valve seat. The spring 49 normally biases the righthand end of the valve head as viewed in FIGURE 1, against the valve seat 40.

Mounted on the upper edge of the control valve 35, with a gasket 47 therebetween, is a solenoid actuator, generally designated by the reference numeral 50. It has a base portion 51 that rests on the peripheral upper edge of the body of valve 35 and carries thereon a solenoid coil 52 surrounding a solenoid tube 53. Positioned in the tube 53, is a solenoid plunger 54 that is biased against the metal strip 43 by a light spring 55. This spring, plus the weight of the plunger, is sufficient to overpower spring 59 and rock the valve head counterclockwise to position the lefthand end of the rubber strip against valve seat member 39.

OPERATION The valve elements are shown in the positions they assume when the solenoid is de-energized, indicating that there is no call for the main valve to be open. With the main valve installed in a gas heating system and the solenoid connected to a room thermostat, upon a call for heat, the solenoid coil is energized causing the plunger 54 to be pulled into the solenoid tube and permitting coil spring 49 to pivot the lever or metal strip clockwise. This movement of the lever opens valve seat 39 and closes valve seat 40. Gas will then flow from the inlet through the manual valve, passageway 23, orifice 24, valve seat 39 and passageways 38 and 33 to the pressure chamber 31. The orifice in member 29, in diaphragm 28, is smaller than the orifice in orifice member 24 so pressure will build up in chamber 31 to open the valve 25. The valve will remain in this position as long as the solenoid is energized. Upon the room thermostat being satisfied, the solenoid is de-energized, spring 55 forces the plunger downwardly to pivot the control valve counterclockwise to close valve seat 39 and open valve seat 40. This permits gas to bleed from the pressure chamber 31 through the valve seat 40 to the outlet 18 and to permit the valve 25 to be closed by spring 47. I

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or right is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A valve head for a valve having first and second valve seats therein comprising; a first strip of rigid material of such a shape that when it is positioned in such a valve, a first end portion thereof may be moved into a position over the first of said valve seats or a second end portion thereof may be moved into a position over the second valve seat, selectively; a second stripof elastic material having a valve seat engageable head portion at each end thereof that releasably engages each of said end portions, respectively; one of said end portions being so shaped that one of said head portions may be pulled away from said one end portion, by stretching the elastic strip portion between said head portions and then permitting it to retract said one head portion into engagement with said one end portion, to assemble said first and second strips in a side-by-side relationship.

2. A valve head as defined in claim 1 wherein said one of said end portions has transversely spaced tines for the reception of one of said head portions.

3. The valve head construction of claim 1 with both end portions of the first strip having substantially the same construction and both heads on the second strip having substantially the same construction.

4. A valve head as defined in claim 1 wherein said second strip including its head portions is of I-shape.

5. The valve head construction of claim 2 wherein said tines include a central tine in the plane of said first strip and two side ones lying in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the central tine and spaced therefrom a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the head portion positionable therebetween.

6. The valve head construction of claim 5 wherein each of the side tines is connected to the first strip by a steeply inclined portion of the tine so that the adjacent head portion engages the inclined portion farthest from the central tine first.

7. A valve head as defined in claim 4 wherein the distance between said head portions is slightly less than the distance between the end portions of said first strip that are engaged by said head portions.

8. A valve head as defined in claim 1 in combination with a vave body having an inlet and an outlet and two spaced valve seats therebetween; means on said first strip pivotally mounting said first strip on said valve body; spring means on said first strip and engaging said body so as to bias said pivot means against said body and one of said head portions into engagement with one of said valve seats; and power means on said valve body positioned to move said first strip about said pivot means to move the other head portion against the other seat against the bias of said spring means and to move said one head portion away from said one valve seat. 9. The combination defined in claim 8 wherein said pivot means for said first strip is a pair of transversely extending knife edge wings integral with said first strip and said first strip is shaped to receive and hold one end of said spring means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,825,360 3/1958 Klee 137625-.2 3,128,750 4/ 1964 Schmidt 25130 XR 3,200,844 8/1965 Jackson 137-625.2 3,263,693 8/ 1966 Ages 137-62565 XR 3,423,062 1/ 1969 Grayson 251-30 HENRY T. KLINKSIEK, Primary Examiner ROBERT J. MILLER, Assistant Examiner 

